The Ying Tong Song
'The Ying Tong Song '(also known by its refrain "Ying tong iddle I po") is one of the fourteen singles released by Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan. It is a nonsense song, consisting of small verses interspersed by a completely nonsensical chorus. Secombe usually spoke the lead vocals, accompanied by Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, who would sing along as various Goon Show characters. As Harry was signed to Philips Records, he didn't sing on any of the Goons' Decca recordings of the 1950s, including this song, only speaking his words. Spike claimed that he wrote this song as a bet with his brother, that he couldn't get a song into the hit parade which had only two chords (in this case G and D7). It was a hit in the UK on two occasions: its highest position was #3 in the UK charts in 1956 (the original A-side was "Bloodnok's Rock and Roll Call"), and it reached a position of #9 when re-issued in 1973. It was used as the title of the Roy Smiles play about Spike Milligan and The Goon Show: Ying Tong - A Walk With The Goons which was staged in the West End in 2005 and a radio play on BBC Radio 4 in 2009. Later Versions In the satirical TV sketch show Spitting Image, in which news figures and celebrities were lampooned in the form of grossly-caricatured rubber puppets, it was not uncommon for Prince Charles to be seen leaving a room quietly singing the Ying-Tong song to himself. This was a reference to the fact that Prince Charles is a fan of the Goon Show. The song gave its name to the 2008 stage show, Ying Tong: A Walk With the Goons. The Muppets also did a version of the Ying Tong Song in one of their episodes. Jon Anderson, former lead singer for the Progressive Rock group Yes, recorded a short version, released in 2005 on his State of Independence EP. Lyrics (Orchestral intro) Tenor: There's a song that I recall My mother sang to me. Spriggs (off): Oh! (a sigh) Tenor: She sang it as she tucked me in When I was ninety-three. (harp plays a rising chord...) Spriggs: I diddle, I. Who was that bum? Bluebottle + Spriggs: Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po, Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong (bluebottle drops behind) Ying tong iddle I po Spriggs: Keep lad up. Keep. Bluebottle: Keep up lad up. Both: Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Spriggs: lad Both: Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po (lad) Iddle I po (lad) Ying tong ying tong Ying tong (Spriggs: iddle) (Bluebottle: ying tong) Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong iddle Bluebottle (spoken): Ying tong iddle I po! (short raspberry, Secombe) Both: Oh! Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Iddle I po! (trumpet bit) Bluebottle: Ying. Ying tongy tongy. Ying tong iddle I po. Ying tong iddle I po. (Secombe under this: What a lovely lovely boy!) (or Secombe under this: What a lovely melody devine!) Ying ying ying tongy tongy. (Milligan: Get out the rifle, sir.) (or Milligan: Get off the record.) Yeeeng. Ying tong ying tong d'gy-n'o. Ying tong d'ga. (Secombe: Get away.) D'g d'g d'ga. Ying tong iddle I po. Neddie Seagoon:Hear that crazy rhythm Driving me insane. Strike your partner on the bonce (bonk?). (thump) Eccles: Ooh. I felt no pain. (Seagoon screeches) Seagoon, Bluebottle and Eccles: Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying... (harp chord rises) Soprano: Take me back to Vienna.... (Raspberry section, probably Milligan) Major Bloodnok: Ohhhhh! Eccles: Oh! (harp chord) Soprano: Take me back to Vienna, where the.... (crash!) Seagoon, Spriggs and Bluebottle (far off): Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po (mad dash to foreground) Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po (Spriggs: where's he going lad?) (BB: I don't know) Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Seagoon: LOOK OUT! (cry from Bluebottle) (mad dash to distance) (hastily) Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po (dash to foreground) Ying tong... (whine of bomb dropping, explosion) Double speed, but same tempo, Goons: Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Iddle I po. Ying tong ying tong Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Iddle I po. One: Ying! Tongy tongy tongy. Yiddy diddy diddy da daaa. Ying diddy. Ying tong diddle. Yiddada boo. (rhythmic thigh slapping, raspberry) All Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle Ying tong iddle I po Ying tong ying tong Ying tong iddle I po Iddle I po. Eccles: Whoooooh! Category:Songs